Remember the Switch 2's Mysterious C Button? Nintendo is Trying to Tempt You With Platinum Points and User Icons Just to Press It, Now GameChat is a Premium Feature

A twelvemonth ago, Nintendo fans were hopeless to observe the hidden intent down the Switch 2's C Button — which was aboriginal revealed to beryllium for the console's GameChat.

At the clip of GameChat's announcement, the thought sounded amusive capable — you could dependable chat with friends (or usage video with a USB camera) and stock a provender of your gameplay with others. Nintendo besides confirmed that it would yet determination the work down a paid Nintendo Switch Online subscription connected April 1, 2026 — a day that elapsed yesterday.

Now, Nintendo seems keen for you to retrieve that the C Button exists, and for you to property it again the adjacent clip you play Switch 2. (Even if you property it by mistake alternatively of the Home button, arsenic I bash each clip I play.)

Indeed, opening this week, Nintendo volition manus implicit 100 My Nintendo Platinum Points and let you to unlock a bid of idiosyncratic icons conscionable for loading up GameChat. (Nintendo truly wants you to load up GameChat.)

"A caller ngo is buzzing in!" reads a connection connected Nintendo's website that advertises the rewards. "Until April 22 astatine 5:59pm PT, Nintendo Switch Online members tin gain 100 My Nintendo Platinum Points by hopping into GameChat, an exclusive diagnostic for the Nintendo Switch 2 strategy that lets you radical up and bent retired with friends and family. You'll past beryllium capable to redeem your points for themed icon elements, which you tin usage to make a caller look for your idiosyncratic icon.

"You tin commencement GameChat by tapping the icon connected the HOME Menu connected your Nintendo Switch 2 strategy oregon by pressing the C Button connected your Joy-Con™ 2 controller. If you haven't completed the archetypal setup for GameChat yet, you'll request to bash truthful earlier you tin get your reward. To cod your Platinum Points, delight sojourn the Nintendo Switch Online app connected your strategy wrong 30 days of completing this mission. The ngo and icon elements are disposable until April 22 astatine 5:59 p.m. PT."

I'm definite immoderate radical are utilizing GameChat, but the buzz from Nintendo fans online is that the bulk of Switch 2 owners don't usage it much, portion others person ne'er tried it each — meaning they're improbable to subscribe to Switch Online present conscionable to springiness it a go. (And to beryllium fair, determination are plentifulness of other, much apt reasons to person a Switch Online rank already.)

Regardless, it seems similar Nintendo is not yet acceptable to fto GameChat gaffe disconnected into the nighttime arsenic it becomes a premium diagnostic that presumably adjacent less radical volition use. Whether you personally deliberation opening GameChat is worthy those 100 points oregon not, the connection is determination if you fancy. (Nintendo would truly similar it if you did.)

Tom Phillips is IGN's News Editor. You tin scope Tom astatine [email protected] oregon find him connected Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social